Separable fastener



Nov. 29, 1932. R LGAT 1,889,336

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed April 6. 1951 Patented Nov. 29, 1932 l UNITED STATES PATENT Vol-T-icE ROBERT C. LEGAT, OF NEW BRITAIN,

CONNECTICUT, Assrenon. Toy e. E. raENTrcE'. MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, 0F NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- sEPAnABLE FAs'rENEa Application led April 6,

This invention pertains to separable fasteners of the general type of which the patent to Prentice et al. No. 1,658,392, dated February 7, 1928, is a good example and relates more particularly to end stops for such fasteners. Usually at oneend of the gap or opening to be closed, the tapes or stringers which carry the opposed series of fastener elements are permanently united by means of a stop member, commonly of metal, which extends across fromv one stringer to the other, and which has prongs or other fastening elements for securing it to the stringers. To insure satisfactory operation as well as for the sake of appearance, it is requisite that the stringers at the closed end of the fastener be held at a lixed and predetermined distance apart, but with the ordinary form of end stop, such as above referred to, guide the workman in applying the stop to the Stringer and 4thus inaccurate and improper spacing of the stringere at the closed end frequently occurs. The usual end stop extends across but one face of the fastener, its exposed attaching prongsv at the opposite side producing an unfinished and unpleasing appearance, and the unsymmetrical form of the stop (having its main parts disposed wholly at one side of the fastener) accentuates the tendency of the stop to tear away from the Stringer when subjected to repeated blows of the slider during use.

The present invention avoids all of the above defects in that it provides an end stop of such character that in applying it the operator can hardly avoid obtaining the proper spacing of the stringers, since the stop comprises a pair of sockets spaced a predetermined distance apart and which are adapted to position and hold the beaded edges of the respective stringers. Furthermore, the improved stop is of symmetrical construction and appears the same from both sides of the fasteners ;-avoids the effects of unsymmetrical forces tending to tear it away from the stringer;-and preferably dispenses with the use of prongs or other penetrating elements which tend to injure or weaken the Stringer.

there is nothing to 1931. Serial No. 527,997.

vvention by way of example, and in the drawing:

Fig. 1 isa fragmentary front elevation showing a fastener of a well-known type in full open position and equipped with the improved end stop forming the subject matter of the present invention;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the portion of the fastener adjacent the stop in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank useful in forming the improved end stop;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate various steps in the production and application of the end stop;

gig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; an

Fig. 7 isa vertical section through the stop completed and ready for application to the stringers.

Referring to the drawing the numerals 1 and 2 indicate, respectively two tapes or stringers such as are commonly employed for holding they series of fastener. elements. These stringere or tapes are usually independentmembers which are sewed or otherwise secured to the garment or other device having the gap or opening to be closed, and dene the actual edges of the opening along which f the opposed series of fastener elements are arranged. The members 1 and 2 are preferably, as here shown, provided with thickened or beaded edges 3 and 4c respectively, and to these edges are secured series of fastener elements or units 5 and 6 respectively. Fixed stops 7 and 8 are secured at the upper ends of the respective series of fastener elements, while at the other or permanently closed end of the fastener, the end stop 10 forming the subject matter of the present nvention is arranged.

This end stop is preferably of unitary construction and provides a pair of sockets disosed back to back which embrace and firmly hold the edges of the respective stringers. As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, it is made from ,a single blank 11 of sheet material.

' and 14 are caused to lie substantially parallel to the legs 13 and 15 respectively and then the blank is again bent, as indicated in Fig. 3, transversely of the cross member 16 so as to cause itto assume the shape illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7. It will be noted that the substantially parallel legs 12 and 13 are so joined as to define a socket of substantially U-shape and this socket, when the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 5, is substantially back to back with a socket of similar form defined by the legs 14 and 15. In applying the stop member to the stringers the edges of the latter are caused to lie within the U-shaped sockets just referred to, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and then the free ends of the legs 12, 13; 14 and 15 are pressed together, as shown in Fig. 6, preferably so as to contact with the material of the Stringer inwardly of the bead, so that the beaded edges of the stringers are embraced by the sockets and firmly clamped therein, the narrowed entrances to the sockets effectively preventing the separation of the Stringer and stop.

It will be noted that the stop, when applied to the stringers accurately determines the distance between the edges of the stringers since the inner or bottom surfaces S1 and S2 of the respective sockets are a fixed distance apart, and thus when the workman introduces the edge of the Stringer in the socket and brings it in Contact with the inner surface of the latter, he is assured, without measurement, that the parts are properly positioned. Moreover, the operation -of compressingthe walls of the socket about the edge of the Stringer tends to force the bead of-the stringer against the inner surface of the socket,

thus assisting in properly positioning the parts. f l

Preferably the legs on each side of the cross member of the blank are formed to diverge from each other as shown, so that the completed stop member may be arranged as in Figures 1 and 1 with the outer free edges of the legs 12 to-'15 diverging downwardly or away from the slider. An important advantage of this arrangement is that it provides for maximum opening or separation of ,the stringers. It will be seen that the divergent or tapered form of this stop member permits the slider to be moved freely onto the upper portion thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 1, until the lowermost portions of the divergent legs engage the slider to stop the latter. In other constructions the opening of the fastening is reduced by the length of the stop plus the length ofthe slider, while in the present'case the .opening may be the full length of the fastening minus only the length Since oth sides of the stfp device are alike, it is immaterial which si e is disposed toward the workman in applying itand the finished fastener has the same appearance at both sides, so far as this end stop is concerned. Moreover, in its preferred form the stop does not employ prongs or other penetrating elements which weaken or disfigure the stringers, and being of symmetrical construction, there is no tendency to twist it or tip it when struck by the slider.

While a preferred construction has been illustrated wherein the stop is secured to the stringers wholly by a clamping action, I contemplate that under some circumstances other forms of attachment may be used either in addition to or in substitution for that here disclosed. I4 further contemplate that the stiff enough to maintain its shape after application. may be employed for the purpose.

I claim:

1. An end stop for use in separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of fastener elements and flexible stringers supporting said series of elements, said stop comprising two sets of substantially parallel front and rear walls extending longitudinally of the stringer, the walls of each set being integrally united along their inner edges by inner walls, thereby providing sockets for the reception of the edges of the respective stringers, said walls having inner surfaces which are spaced a predetermined and fixed distance apart and adapted to engage the extreme edges of the stringers, and a connecting member uniting said innerwalls at the lower end of the stop.

2. An end stop for use in separable fasten` ers of the kind having opposed series of fasof one stringer, the walls of said sockets havl.

i-ng inner surfaces which are spaced a predetermined and fixed distance apart and adapted to engage the extreme outer edges of the respective stringers, and a connecting member integrally uniting said inner walls at one end, said connecting .member having a fold extending substantially perpendicular to the A plane defined by the stringers and rigidly uniting said inner walls, whereby engagement ofthe opposed stringers with said inner walls substantially predetermines the distance between the adjacent edges of the stringers.

. 3. An end'stop device ready for application to a separable fastener of the kind having opposed series of fastener elements and beaded stringers supporting the respective series of elements, said stop consisting of a unitary iece of stiff material having opposed substantially lU-shaped sockets adapted respectively to receive the beaded edges of the respective stringers, each socket having front and rear walls integrally united at' their inner edges and f ee outerl edges adapted to be ressed inwdl'hdly toward each other to emrace and freely to grip the beaded edges of the stringers. t

4. An end stop for use in separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of fastener elements and beaded stringers supporting the respective series of elements, said stop consisting of a single piece of sheet ma-l terial-bent to provide opposed substantially U-shaped sockets arranged back to back and adapted respectively to receive and firmly to t grip the beaded edges. of the respective stringers.

5. "An end stop for use in separable'fasteners of the kind having. opposed series of fastener elements and beaded stringers supporting the respective series of elements, said stop consisting of a substantially H-shaped piece of sheet metal havin the ends of its legs ent to form U-shaped soc ets, the cross member being bent double so that the sockets are disposed back to back in a position to receive and embrace the edges of the respective strin rs.

6. n combination with a separable fastener device of the kind having opposed series of fastener elements mounted upon the beaded edges of a pair of. stringers, a stop comprisin a unitary piece of sheet material bent to de ne a pair of U-shaped sockets, said sockets having inner walls which engage the extreme outer edges of the respective stringers and comprising opposed legs whose'free ends are pressed into engagement with the respectlve stringers at points inwardly vfrom the beaded edges of the latter, and a connectlof fastenerelements, said stop `membercomprising a pair of sockets each having walls which closely embrace and firmly engage the edge of the correspondin Stringer, said stop being operative to stop t ie slider at the end of the gap opening movement, the stop tapering upwardly in width so that its upper end lower end', said narrower end of the stop being so dimensioned as to enable it to telescope within the lower portion ofthe slider thereby providing for movement of the advancing end of the slider beyond the lend of the stop, whereby to increase the effective length of the gap.

8. ing opposed series of fastener elements, flexible stringers'supporting the respective series of elements, and a slider for moving the elements of the opposed series into and out of engaging relation for opening and closing a gap, a stop member connecting the stringersadjacent to one end of the series of fastener elements, said stop member being operative t'o stop the slider at the end of itsgap opening movement, the opposed ends of the stop and slider having telescoping parts, atleast one ofpermitting the stop to enter, part-way at least,l

into the narrow end of the slider.

9.` An end stop for use in se arable fasteners of the kind having oppose series of fastener elements, flexible stringers supporting said series of elements, and a slider for mov,- ing the elements of the opposed series into andV out of engagement for opening and closing the gap respectively, said stop having a pair of sockets adapted toreceive the outer edges of the respective stringers, the walls .of these sockets havin inner surfaces which are substantiallypara leland at a ixed and predetermined distance apart and adapted to engage the extr'eme'outer edges of the strin ers, the outer edges of the stop member iverging from. that end of the stop which is nearest the slider, the narrow end of the stop In a separable fastener of the kind havv is relatively .narrow as compared'with its being of such dimensions as to permit it to enter well into the slider before coming into stopping engagement therewith.

Signed day of April 1931. A y 1 vROBERT C. LEGAT.

ing member integrally uniting the inner walls y of the sockets at the lower end of the stop.

7. In a separable fastener of the kind having opposed series of'fastener elements, ilexible stringers supporting the respective series of elements, and a slider for moving the Velements of the opposed series into and out of engaging relation for opening and closing a gap, a stop member permanently connecting the stringers adjacent to one end of the series by me at Berlin, Conn., this second i 

